[wvns] Soldier in Iraq Refuses Orders
Soldier in Iraq Resists the Occupation
Iraq Veterans Against the War
IVAW.org
Yesterday, June 19, 26 year old SPC Eli Israel put himself at great
personal risk by making the courageous decision to refuse further
participation in the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Eli told his commanding
officer and sergeants that he will no longer be a combatant in this
illegal, unjustified war. Eli believes that the U.S. government used
the attacks of September 11, 2001 as a pretense to invade Iraq and
that "we are now violating the people of this country (Iraq) in ways
that we would never accept on our own soil." Eli is stationed at Camp
Victory in Baghdad with JVB Bravo Company, 1-149 Infantry of the
Kentucky Army National Guard. This soldier's decision to refuse
orders puts him at great risk, especially because he is in Iraq,
isolated from legal assistance and other support. The following is a
message that Eli sent yesterday to a friend back home:
"I have told them that I will no longer play a 'combat role' in this
conflict or 'protect corporate representatives,' and they have taken
this as 'violating a direct order.' I may be in jail or worse in the
next 24 hours.
Please rally whoever you can, call whoever you can, bring as much
attention to this as you can. I have no doubt that the military will
bury me and hide the whole situation if they can. I'm in big trouble.
I'm in the middle of Iraq, surrounded by people who are not on my
side. Please help me. Please contact whoever you can, and tell them
who I am, so I don't 'disappear.'"
Eli is taking an incredible risk by refusing orders in Iraq and will
most likely be court martialed. Please help him by contacting his
Senator and requesting that he take any steps necessary to support and
protect this soldier and ensure that the Army respects his rights and
does not illegally retaliate against him.
Senator Mitch McConnell:
http://mcconnell.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Washington Office
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Fax: (202) 224-2499
===============================================================
Six Nobel Peace Prize Recipients Oppose Iraq Oil Law
In May, Yanar Mohammed of Iraq and I had the honor of participating in
the first international conference organized by the Nobel Women's
Initiative
( http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org). We conducted a presentation
on the Iraq Oil Law which greatly shocked and outraged the attendees.
As a result, six women - all recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize -
have released the statement below voicing their firm opposition to
both the Iraq Oil Law and to U.S. pressure on the Iraqis to pass the
law.
Please spread the statement far and wide, take the Action Steps listed
below, and visit the links below for more information.
In Peace,
Antonia Juhasz
Oil Change International
http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org/news.php?WEBYEP_DI=113
The Nobel Womens Initiative
In support of the Iraqi people, in opposition to the Iraq oil law
While the Bush administration has repeatedly claimed that the war in
Iraq is not about oil, U.S. oil corporations are poised to take
control over the 115 billion barrels of known oil reserves - 10
percent of the world total. The Bush administration's proposed new oil
law for Iraq, set to go before Iraq's Parliament this month, would
transform Iraq's oil industry from a nationalized model to a
commercial model that is much more open to U.S. corporate control. Its
provisions allow much (if not most) of Iraq's oil revenues to flow out
of Iraq and into the pockets of international oil companies. At NWI's
First International Conference women from the US and Iraq educated
participants on the perils of this proposed law and the Nobel Peace
Prize laureates signed the following statement. For more information
and action see below.
In Opposition to the Iraq Oil Law
(19 June 2007) In support of the people of Iraq, we the undersigned
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, state our opposition to the Iraq Oil Law.
We also oppose the decision of the United States government to require
that the Iraq government pass the Oil Law as a condition of continued
reconstruction aid in legislation passed on May 24, 2007.
A law with the potential to so radically transform the basic economic
security of the people of Iraq should not be forced on Iraq while it
is under occupation and in such a weak negotiating position vis-à-vis
both the U.S. government and foreign oil corporations.
The Iraq Oil Law could benefit foreign oil companies at the expense of
the Iraqi people, deny the Iraqi people economic security, create
greater instability, and move the country further away from peace.
The U.S. government should leave the matter of how Iraq will address
the future of its oil system to the Iraqi people to be dealt with at a
time when they are free from occupation and more able to engage in
truly democratic decision-making.
It is immoral and illegal to use war and invasion as mechanisms for
robbing a people of their vital natural resources.
Signed by:
Betty Williams
Mairead Corrigan Maguire
Rigoberta Menchu Tum
Prof. Jody Williams
Dr. Shirin Ebadi
Prof. Wangari Maathai
Take Action
If you are in the US, send a letter to your Congressional
representatives via
Oil Change International's Action Tool
http://priceofoil.org/thepriceofoil/war-terror/iraqi-oil-law/
If you are in the UK, contact your MP through Hands off Iraqi Oil
http://www.handsoffiraqioil.org
For further information:
Oil Change International Iraq Oil Law page
http://priceofoil.org/thepriceofoil/war-terror/iraqi-oil-law/
Hands off Iraqi Oil
http://www.handsoffiraqioil.org
Stop the Iraqi Oil Law
http://www.iraqoillaw.com/
The Bush Agenda
http://www.TheBushAgenda.net
The Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq
http://www.equalityiniraq.com/
Who's Oil Is It, Anyway? by Antonia Juhasz, printed in the New York Times
http://www.bushagenda.net/article.php?id=369
----
Antonia Juhasz
Ida Tarbell Fellow
Oil Change International
http://www.PriceOfOil.org
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